Walden Media, LLC is an American media company that develops, produces, and finances feature films and television series for the U.S. and global markets. Its films focus on stories of courage drawn from biographies, historical events, and literature adaptations, as well as original screenplays. The company has also produced feature documentaries.
The corporate headquarters of Walden Media are located in Los Angeles, California. The company is owned by the Christian conservative Philip Anschutz, who has said he expects their movies “to be entertaining, but also to be life affirming and to carry a moral message.”[1]
The company’s notable releases include Holes in 2003, Because of Winn-Dixie in 2005, Charlotte’s Web in 2006, Bridge to Terabithia, in 2007, three adaptations of The Chronicles of Narnia in 2005, 2008 and 2010, Ramona and Beezus in 2010, and both A Dog’s Purpose and Wonder in 2017. All of these films are adaptations of popular books. Walden Media operates Walden Pond Press, a joint venture with HarperCollins, which publishes middle grade books
Walden Media was founded in 2000 by Micheal Flaherty and Cary Granat as a movie, television, publishing and Internet enterprise whose goal is to teach and entertain kids.[5] Granat was president of Miramax‘s Dimension Films division, and Flaherty came from the world of education. The two were housemates at Tufts University before following different paths, and later reunited to form the company. The company’s formation was officially announced in May 2001.
During the summer of 2001, Walden entered into their first film deals; with Phoenix Pictures to finance and co-produce Holes, an adaption of the children’s book of the same name, in July and with director James Cameron to distribute his documentary Ghosts of the Abyss, focusing on the remains of the RMS Titanic, in August. In December 2001, Walden announced that they had acquired the rights to produce films based on The Chronicles of Narnia. In late 2001, Anschutz Entertainment Group purchased a majority stake in the company, leaving the founders as minority shareholders.
In February 2002, Walden entered into a partnership with Summit Entertainment, who would pre-sell their films internationally. In September, Walden entered into a two-year first-look agreement with The Walt Disney Company following their acquisition of the distribution rights to Ghosts of the Abyss in North America and the United Kingdom, and Holes in a majority of territories. Walden’s first film, Pulse: A Stomp Odyssey, was released theatrically that same month.
In July 2004, Walden signed a five-picture production deal with 20th Century Fox. On August 9, 2006, Walden Media announced an extension to their partnership with Fox Filmed Entertainment, which would release education-themed family-friendly pictures that would be released under G or PG ratings. All films would be released under the 20th Century Fox banner. The company, now named “Fox-Walden”, announced the release of its first four films in May 2007.
In March 2008, Michael Bostick, formerly of Imagine Films, was hired as creative officer. Cary Granat was released from his co-CEO title effective December 1, 2008, with Bostick replacing him. Walden Media created a joint publishing venture with HarperCollins during the same year called Walden Pond Press. On October 2, 2008, it was announced that Fox-Walden would reduce its staff and cease operations as a standalone company. Due to the number of films released under the venture, which had bombed at the box office in North America, the company would instead be folded into 20th Century Fox as a studio division. Nevertheless, the downsizing of Fox-Walden did not affect the partnership between both companies and they would still release family-oriented films under the label.[20][5]
In December 2013, Frank Smith was named Chief operating officer (COO), having worked with Anschutz Film Group for ten years.[21]
In April 2023, Benjamin Tappan, a former EPIX executive, was named President of Production for Walden, overseeing the company’s film and television development and production
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